Wrath of king's curse

He opened the door behind revealing stairs with yellow hue casted by the dancing lights of candelabrum on the walls. Liam guided the way and she follows downstairs reaching a big hall with cracked walls, it seemed it'll collapse at any second but it won't; with the branches tightly holding most of them as if they're the only thing that preventing this palace from falling apart. And the sandy floor that was filled with white lilies climbing and making an elegant dress over the roots.

Sky was fascinated by the landscape of the tree's marvelous roots recoiled at the bottom and spread far wriggled its way up and beneath the ground. It gave her a nostalgic feelings she just wanted to an even closer look. Liam gripped her shoulder as she stepped forward.

"Unfortunately this as far as we can go,..."

She side glanced him where he summarized;

"Although you can step ahead if you want but the barrier will push you away. You see, this whole barrier is like an egg, lighter and easy to penetrate at outer layer, but the more you get closer to the core it becomes thicker it would be impossible to get through, and that's we call the concentrated zone"

"Oh" Sky was disappointment. But for now, she guessed the far outline of roots were enough to satisfy her curiosity. Yet no wonder no body bothers to come here for a mere unclear view of it, at least no one was that strange.

"When I was assigned here years ago the scenery blew my mind and made me wonder

about the source of this barrier, and when I approached it; it sent me fly the other direction so hard I broke three ribs just from the impact,..." His brows knitted making a sour face recalling the moment and went on, "...It was... very painful".

Sky backed off automatically with a shudder, her focus was onyo not making the same mistake of Liam. Then a faint glow originated from the ring threw her into confusedness, and more because of her sword manifested itself before her.

"What's going on?" Liam winced by the shinning sword.

"I....I don't know!"

Floating in the air for a second then in a flash crossed the zone's lines.

"Did it just break in?!"

Noting this, Sky's legs just moved across the concentrated zone like if it wasn't oddly there, finding the sword stabbing the tree closer to roots.

"Huh, how did this happened?"

Liam asked while cautious with his steps coming close, he stared at the lilies that started to illuminate brighter in rhythmic pulse.

Suddenly the ground felt like shaking with the tree becoming more and more dry as if was being drained by the sword. Sky saw the disastrous outcome she hurried gripping the handle and struggled to pull it out but with no use; it won't budge an inch! Liam didn't hesitate to lend a hand it's his job to guard this place, and he can't messes up!

They both drew it saving no effort, Liam noticed the barrier was slowly disappearing making the poisoned fog creeping inside, the flowers and the tree rapidly affected by it turning into yellowish dieing petals and leafs.

Giving it their all strength, the premature nightwalker and the guard of onus managed to budge the trapped sword a little to finally pull it out with part of tree still stuck on it, they fell on the butt with a thud. Groaning in pain, Sky grasped a view on what looks like the real source that was feeding the barrier with mana.

"Is...that...a headstone?"

They both kneeled trying to read it.

"Hmm...., I really not versed on reading ruins"

He chuckled side eyeing Sky, then forced a second look on the ruins neatly written with

organized manner; which is rare for to see from people in this time.

"Let's see....old...friend....hmm,...love or like lilies....meet again?...Not sure of the rest, this type of symbols are way too old"

Liam stated after translating few symbols, Sky was reminded of something she asked:

"Old? In Frey's era,...maybe?"

A spark of insight passed his mind, he murmured widen eyes getting a hint.

"From my understanding, it seems this only headstone in memories of her old friend,..." Liam looked serious thinking into it, he paused for a second before getting with his thought.

"...But, for what I read about it, Lady Frey was strict person with arrogant attitude, so.... to have a friend was... as hard as a quest for her".

"So how to explain this laying here?"

Though she quizzed, and he shrugged with no idea, then felt weak and dizzy on a sudden.

His weight fell onto surprised Sky who shaked him to wake up.

"Liam!! Sir Liam!! Are you alright?! Wake up!! Liam!"

That when her gazes fell on the purple lines circling his neck progressing to a thicker one.

"Those are...!!"

[ Everyone! Evacuate the area!! I repeat! Evacuate the area! The mana barrier has vanished! I repeate! It's poisoned Fog! ]

An alarm was announced; with a hideous danger sneaking in.